As parents, we have an instinct to help our kids in general, not just our own.

Something about knowing that they belong to someone, that they’re someone’s whole world, makes it impossible to look the other way.

Which is probably why OP offered to let a cold kid sit in her warm car at the bus stop.

I (36f) usually have time to drive my daughter to the bus stop every morning before work. Last week, where we were, it was -11 windchill. There is a kid (12-14m, middle school aged) that comes down to the bus stop as well.

I do not know him, nor his parents. This is relevant to the story. On Friday, when it was -11, he came out in nothing but a thin pullover.

I felt like I couldn’t ethically allow a kid to stand out in such cold weather when I had a warm car he could sit in.

He took my offer and sat in my backseat while me and my daughter spoke. He kept his airpods in and didn’t say much other than saying thank you.

Busses were running ~15 minutes late as well so nobody really should’ve been out in that.

Later, his mother found her and wasn’t kind…

However, yesterday while I was walking my dog a woman came up to me.

She asked me why I took her son into my car. I explained that the weather was well into the negatives and he was not wearing a coat, and the bus was quite late.

She told me to never do that again and that what I did was incredibly creepy and to leave her son alone.

Now, OP’s wondering whether or not her instincts were off.

I was taken aback, I just offered the kid a warm place to sit and didn’t even speak to him.

I feel bad, because of course I never want to come across as creepy or overstepping boundaries, but I also feel like if the roles were reversed and I was unable to take my daughter to the bus stop, and this mom offered her a place to sit, I would be thankful.

I feel bad for doing something I thought was nice. Is this weird? AITA?

Reddit’s going to let her know!

The top comment says OP did the right thing.

This person says OP really did the only thing they could.

They say she could have given the woman a choice.

Although some people did see the other mom’s point.

And yeah, some people are bad people.

My heart hurts for that poor boy.

I hope he finds a coat, at least, going forward.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.